Armor-piercing ammunition

ABSTRACT

The ammunition comprises an armour-piercing shell whose body is constituted of a material which is basically a metal that oxidizes easily and that burns by heating. An axial passage is provided, in the body of the shell thus constituted, extending from the front end of the shell to a nozzle formed in the rear end of the shell. Ignition means are provided for causing, in the initial phase of the flight of the shell, the inflammation of the inner wall of the axial passage which, from that moment, behaves like a ramjet playing the role of an auxiliary propeller for the shell.

tjnited States I .I atent [72] Inventor Louis Birkigt [56] References Cited l N szg g'gf Switzerland UNITED STATES PATENTS 21 1 A o. My 9 1968 3,389,027 6/1968 Stevenson 149/42 [45] Patented Feb. 9, 1971 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt [73] Assignee Brevets AerwMecaniques S. A. Assistant Examiner-Charles T. Jordan Geneva, Switzerland Att0rney-Larson, Taylor and Hinds [32] Priority July 13, 11967 [3 3] Luxembourg [31] 54,097

ABSTRACT: The ammunition com rises an armouriercin [54] P Q Q AMMUNITION shell whose body is constituted of a slaterial which is ltFasicalls 6 Claims 1 Drawing a metal that oxidizes easily and that burns by heating. An axial [52] US. Cl 102/52, passage is provided, in the body of the shell thus constituted, 102/497 extending from the front end of the shell to a noule formed in [51] tm. Cl ..F42b 11/14, the rear end of the shell. Ignition means are provided for caus- F42b 13/04, F42b 15/26 ing, in the initial phase of the flight of the shell, the inflamma- [50] Field of Search 102/52, tion of the inner wall of the axial passage which, from that moment, behaves like a ramjet playing the role of an auxiliary propeller for the shell.

JIYI'AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA PATENTED FEB 9 I97| AlFlMOUR-PIIERCING AMMUNITION The present invention relates to armor-piercing ammunition; and this invention is more particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with ammunition of this type which is of small caliber, in particular of a caliber comprised between and 50 millimeters.

The chief object of the invention is to provide such ammunition, which fulfills the various requirements of practice, and in particular, in which the armor-piercing shell is equipped, in a very simple manner, with an auxiliary propulsion device.

According to the principal feature of the invention, the body of the armor-piercing shell of ammunition of the type in question is constituted of a metallic material which is basically a metal, in particular uranium U238, that oxidizes easily and that burns by heating, and an axial passage is provided in the shell body thus constituted, extending from the front end of the shell to a nozzle formed at the rear end of the shell, ignition means being provided for causing, in the initial phase of the flight of the shell (even at the interior of the barrel of the firing arm), the inflammation of the inner wall of this axial passage which, from that moment, behaves like a ramjet playing the role of an auxiliary propeller for the shell.

The invention comprises, apart from this principal feature, certain other features which are preferably used at the same time, and which will be more explicitly described in the following description which will be given merely by way of example. The following description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawing, also given merely by way of example, which shows, in axial section, an armor-piercing shell for ammunition established according to the invention, this shell being shown in the situation in which it is found before the shot is fired.

The ammunition which will now be described by way of example, and whose armor-piercing shell is shown in the accompanying drawing, is of a caliber comprised between 20 and 50 millimeters.

The body 1 of the armor-piercing shell is constituted of a metallic material which is basically a metal that oxidizes easily and that burns by heating.

Among the metals presenting these characteristics, uranium U238 has revealed itself particularly advantageous, this uranium U238 constituting a cheap residue from processes for the separation of the uranium U235 from natural uranium.

It will thus be assumed, in the following, that the body 1 of the shell is basically uranium U238, the proportion by weight of this uranium U238 being greater than 90 percent, and preferably, about 95 percent.

The constituent material of the body 1 of the shell then advantageously comprises additives adapted to improve the mechanical qualities of this body; these additives can be, in particular, tungsten and/or cobalt.

In the body 1 of the shell thus constituted, an axial passage 2 is provided extending from the front end of the shell to a nozzle 3 formed at the rear end of this shell, ignition means being provided for causing, in the initial phase of the flight of the shell, the inflammation of the inner wall of this axial passage 2, which inner wall, from that moment, by reason of the very nature of the constituent material of the body 1 of the shell, continues to burn, thus conferring on the axial passage 2 the character of a combustion chamber of a ramjet fed through the front with combustion air and emitting, through the nozzle 3, a propulsive jet.

Thus, by simply providing an axial passage and by arranging a nozzle at the rear end of the body 1 of the shell, this shell is equipped, once the ignition is achieved, with a veritable auxiliary propeller.

With regard to the ignition means which must ensure the inflammation of the inner wall of the passage 2, they are arranged so that they are triggered by the firing of the propulsive charge 5 contained in the cartridge case 6 of the ammunition; these ignition means can then be constituted by an explosive composition 4 housed towards the rear end of the axial passage 2, this explosive composition being advantageously of such a nature that it plays t e role of a tracer in the initial phase of the flight of the shell.

Once the composition 4 has been consumed and the inner wall of the passage 2 has been ignited by the combustion of that composition, the air penetrating into the passage 2 through the nose of the shell is heated by the wall of the passage in question which is in the course of combustion, and the flow of air thus heated discharges through the nozzle 3 thus exerting a propulsive thrust on the body 1 of the shell.

Whatever embodiment of the invention is adopted, ammunition is provided having a self-propelled armor-piercing shell whose operation and advantages result sufficiently clearly from the description which has just been made so that no com plementary explanation is necessary in this connection.

Although the invention has been particularly described with reference to a specific embodiment, it is clear that various modifications and changes could be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, so that the invention should not be limited to the particular embodiment described.

lclaim:

l. Ammunition comprising an armor-piercing shell whose body consists of a single metallic material comprising basically uranium U238 which oxidizes easily and burns by heating, wherein there is provided, in the body of the shell thus constituted, an axial passage extending from the front end of the shell to a nozzle formed in the rear end of said shell, ignition means being provided for causing, in the initial phase of the flight of the shell, the inflammation of the inner wall of said axial passage which, from that moment, behaves like a ramjet playing the role of an auxiliary propeller for said shell.

2. Ammunition according to claim 1, wherein the proportion by weight of uranium U238 in the body of the shell is greater than percent.

3. Ammunition according to claim 2, wherein the proportion by weight of uranium U238 in the body of the shell is about percent.

4. Ammunition according to claim 2, wherein the constituent material of the body of the shell further comprises additives selected from the group of tungsten, cobalt, and tungsten and cobalt adapted to improve the qualities of said body.

5. Ammunition according to claim 1, wherein said ammunition further comprising a cartridge case containing a propulsive charge for firing the shell, and wherein said ignition means, which are adapted to ensure the inflammation of the inner wall of the passage, are arranged so that they are triggered by the firing of the propulsive charge contained in the cartridge case of the ammunition.

6. Ammunition according to claim 5, wherein said ignition means comprise an explosive composition housed towards the rear end of the axial passage. 

1. Ammunition comprising an armor-piercing shell whose body consists of a single metallic material comprising basically uranium U238 which oxidizes easily and burns by heating, wherein there is provided, in the body of the shell thus constituted, an axial passage extending from the front end of the shell to a nozzle formed in the rear end of said shell, ignition means being provided for causing, in the initial phase of the flight of the shell, the inflammation of the inner wall of said axial passage which, from that moment, behaves like a ramjet playing the role of an auxiliary propeller for said shell.
 2. Ammunition according to claim 1, wherein the proportion by weight of uranium U238 in the body of the shell is greater than 90 percent.
 3. Ammunition according to claim 2, wherein the proportion by weight of uranium U238 in the body of the shell is about 95 percent.
 4. Ammunition according to claim 2, wherein the constituent material of the body of the shell further comprises additives selected from the group of tungsten, cobalt, and tungsten and cobalt adapted to improve the qualities of said body.
 5. Ammunition according to claim 1, wherein said ammunition further comprising a cartridge case containing a propulsive charge for firing the shell, and wherein said ignition means, which are adapted to ensure the inflammation of the inner wall of the passage, are arranged so that they are triggered by the firing of the propulsive charge contained in the cartridge case of the ammunition.
 6. Ammunition according to claim 5, wherein said ignition means comprise an explosive composition housed towards the reaR end of the axial passage. 